Immigration and Asylum

Notice:

The Law Society has developed a re-accreditation process for the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme (IAAS) Level 1 (accredited) and Level 2 (senior) caseworkers.

Members should have received a letter from the Law Society outlining the re-accreditation process. If you did not receive a letter, please contact the Accreditation Unit on 0870 606 2566 or email accreditation@lawsociety.org.uk so we can ensure that the details we have for you are correct. This is particularly important if you were an OISC member and later completed the IAAS assessments as you may not have realised you needed to apply for membership with the Law Society.

In order to be re-accredited as a member of IAAS, members must undergo a re-accreditation assessment AND apply for re-accreditation with the Law Society. In response to a number of enquiries we have received, we confirm that the re-accreditation assessment will assess knowledge (not practical skills) as set out in the standards and guidance (level 1 or level 2) published below. Examples (this is not an exhaustive list) of the areas in which your knowledge will be assessed are:

  1. Immigration law
  2. Refugee law and asylum processes and rights
  3. Humanitarian protection and human rights law
  4. EEA law
  5. Appeals law

The questions will be set at the same level and in the same style as the compulsory questions in the written examination you completed, at the relevant level, when you first applied for membership to IAAS.

If you wish to apply for re-accreditation, please download the following documents:

  • Re-accreditation guidance notes
  • Re-accreditation application form (please complete and return to the Law Society Finance Department)
  • Standards and guidance (level 1 or level 2)

Background to the scheme

The Law Society worked with the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to introduce an accreditation scheme designed to incorporate all publicly funded immigration and asylum advisers; it is known as the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme.

The LSC requires all advisers (including solicitors) who conduct publicly funded immigration and asylum work to be accredited under the scheme; the LSC maintains a register of accredited representatives.

The Law Society now maintains the register for accredited solicitors and their employees, and publishes details of registered practitioners on the Law Society's Find a solicitor directory. You can download guidance and criteria for applying for registration, along with an application for registration, below:

Other immigration and asylum practitioners are registered by the Immigration Services Commissioner or a designated professional body.

How does the scheme work?

A practitioner who has completed the appropriate assessments can apply to be registered as:

  • a probationary caseworker (LSC work restrictions apply)
  • an accredited caseworker (work restrictions also apply)
  • a senior caseworker (no work restrictions)
  • an advanced caseworker

Firms that undertake publicly funded work need to have at least one scheme member who:

  • is accredited either as a senior caseworker or as an advanced caseworker
  • holds the additional supervisor's qualification (PDF, 44kb).

The Law Society sets the standards against which assessments are made and validates and monitors the assessment processes. The standards are available to download below.

The LSC has imposed restrictions on the type of publicly funded work that can be undertaken by probationer caseworkers and accredited caseworkers.

The level of accreditation you achieve determines the type of publicly funded work you will be permitted to undertake.

If you plan to apply for accreditation at advanced caseworker, you first must satisfactorily complete the assessment for senior caseworker and, then, meet the additional requirements for advanced caseworker.

To achieve accreditation, you must demonstrate competence at your chosen level by successfully completing the assessments. Assessments for probationer, accredited caseworker and senior caseworker are administered by Central Law Training (CLT), and are based on the level-specific standards. The assessment for advanced caseworker is undertaken by the Law Society.

CLT publishes the dates and locations of all assessments, and you must contact CLT to register for the assessment(s).

If you have any queries about scheme membership requirements, contact the Accreditation Team (t: 0870 606 2566).

Advanced caseworker accreditation

Advanced caseworkers are accredited to the highest immigration and asylum standards.

You must achieve senior caseworker accreditation to the required standard before you are eligible to apply for advanced caseworker accreditation.

Please read the advanced caseworker criteria and guidance in full before you apply, and ensure that your application is complete before submission.

Applications to be accredited as an advanced caseworker are considered by the Law Society's Advanced Caseworker Selection Panel.

Useful links

Legal Services Commission

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) was created to develop and administer the Community Legal Service and the Criminal Defence Service in England and Wales.

Central Law Training

Central Law Training (CLT) is the approved assessment organisation for the new accreditation scheme.

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) registers immigration and asylum practitioners who are neither members of a designated professional body nor supervised by members of such a body.

Accreditation scheme logos

The Law Society has a dedicated website for accreditation scheme members which offers secure access to the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme logo.

Re-accreditation

Please contact the Accreditation Unit for information about re-accreditation.